Amateur video uploaded to the internet purports to show the plight of hundreds of refugees fleeing the Syrian town of Qusair.
The footage appears to show civilians and retreating rebel fighters.
Some are wounded, at least one appears to be a body.
The video was obtained from a social media website and Reuters is unable to independently verify the content.
They're heading across farmland to Husseiniya Groves, an area thought to be safe from government forces.
Qusair was captured last week by troops loyal to President Bashar al-Assad and their Lebananese Hezbollah allies.
They've been accused by opposition activists of killing at least 100 people who fled the town.
While these refugees may escape the fighting in Qusair, it appears food is hard to come by.
People are seen digging up potatoes apparently to eat raw.
"There are 4, 000 civilians here. Whoever is not dying by bullets is dying of hunger, whoever is not dying of hunger is dying of thirst, and whoever is not dying of thirst is dying slowly from his wounds."
The U.S. State Department says President Barack Obama will consider a range of options on Syria in the coming week.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESWOMAN JEN PSAKI, IN AN EXCHANGE WITH A REPORTER, SAYING:
"At the president's direction, his national security team continues to consider all options, all possible options, that would accomplish our objective of helping the Syrian opposition serve the essential needs of the Syrian people.
Those options could include involvement in arming Syria's rebels.
They don't include sending in U.S. troops.
